A What-If Star Wars universe where the Empire is ruled by the Jedi Council, and the Rebellion is fronted by the Sith. Everything is familiar, yet totally different, as the Sith-led Rebellion battles the Jedi Order for the fate of the Empire.

It is a dark time for the galaxy. The following years after the conclusion of the Separation and Clones Wars saw the Galactic Republic fail to hold the galaxy together. From the pieces, the Empire has arisen. Emperor Palpatine with the full backing of the Jedi Order dissolved the Galactic Senate, and form a powerful central government. Imperial order is enforced, more often through force rather than not. The Jedi Order rebuilds itself from the Clone Wars and is obsessed with hunting Sith and fallen Jedi. It doesn't take long before Rebellion is brewing, but this time by led the Sith. The galaxy is once again on the brink of war.

The Rebellion grows in size and power by the day. With the charismatic Princess Leia, a self proclaimed Sith, many flock to the Rebel's cause. Bases are being established along the Outer Rim as training grounds the rebels. But all is not well...

The Jedi Inquisitors led by Anakin Skywalker have discovered the rebel base. Backed by the Imperial Fleet, the Master Inquisitor closes in on the planet and hopes to capture and crush the rebel forces...

Aztlan - Corania System, Outer Rim

The results of your mission confirmed the Rebel leaders suspicions that the Empire had found the Rebel base. Within the hour of delivering the news, contingency plans were in full swing, and evacuations begin in earnest. Transport ships had been staged for just such a contingency. Princess Leia herself was commanding the evacuation, ensuring sensitive data was either destroyed or secured. Others were busy digging in for a defensive action. They were no illusions of holding the base, but they would make the Empire bleed for it.

It was less than two days before the Imperial Fleet was detected in the in planetary system. Several transports had made it away before the fleet blockaded the planet, but the evacuation had been interrupted. A giant Ion cannon mounted in a crevice of the base's mounted would help see to it that other transports would make it away despite the blockade. The rock of the mountain and sets of the shield generators prevented outright bombardment of the base. The thick jungle outside and prepared defenses would delay any assault by ground troops.

It soon was evident that the Empire wouldn't be deterred. Orbital bombardment began and was accompanied by Imperial troops landing in the surrounding jungles. They plan to capture the base and any leaders they could get their hands on. Rumor had it that Skywalkers flagship had been ID'ed as one of the Star Destroyers. It seems the Inquisition had come calling as well.

As the four of your had performed well on your scouting mission, command kept you together. And as seeing it that you combat capable, you found yourselves part of the delaying defense of the base. With two of you lightsaber users, you were to be the counter to any Inquisitors that breached the lines. When the order came back to retreat, you would fall back and exit the base through an underground tunnel to a set of hidden transports. By this time, the hope is that the ion cannon will have disrupted the Fleet's blockade to slip away to hyperspace.

You were stationed in a command bunker set a few 100 yards from the defense lines as a reserve. The impacts of the bombardment on the shields and mountains could be felt reverberating through the bunker. Status reports and such from the officers manning the bunker are heard. There were two silver linings of the situation. The first was that the jungle was too thick to for anything bigger than the Empire's Scout Walker. The other was the constant rain of the planet's climate was playing havoc to Imperial troops just as much as it was yours.

From the overheard reports, the defensive shield and line was holding now. But scout walkers had been spotted coming up to the lines. Things were about to change...

Mara was hunkered down with some of the other sacrificial troops, that were the fodder for the Empire's gristmill that would be the invasion of their base of operations. She was not sure how she had ended up a mere foot soldier without a decent blaster rifle... of course she was not really proficient in rifles or heavy weaponry anyway.

To do any good, she had finagled a case of fragmentation grenades from a evacuating Quartermaster. What she really needed was a few shape charges as well, but the Sullustan stiff was out of stock... or just stubborn.

She eyed Riet. With the jet pack, the female soldier would be able to get above the scout walkers and take advantage of their lack of visibility in that direction. "Can you carry someone into the air? I wonder if we should not try a surprise attack from hiding places in the tree branches above. We could drop down on a few scout walkers, cut open the top access hatch and replace the crew with ourselves."

It was like the proverbial calm before the storm, here in the bunker. Voices chattered, droids chirped, sensors pinged now and then. Every so often the walls shook, loosening fine grit from the ceiling. But all in all, the rumble was low-key and in the periphery of Riet’s senses, like a storm gathering in the distance.

Riet had her armor and helmet on, even though they were inside. You never knew what could happen at a moment’s notice. She turned to Aragone and nodded.

“A good thought. Yes, I should be able to carry any of you up one at a time, provide you are not carrying a lot of gear.”

She didn’t think they would.

“We should move into position soon, then, before they get closer. Are we all going to go into the trees?”

The impending arrival of the Empire and the focus on the evacuations caused the odd bored musings and speculative comments about what was under Taanoas' armor from the base. People moved with purpose, demonstrating the quality of people energized to raise a fist against the oppressive nature of the Empire and it's depraved Jedi Order. For millenia the order had slowly wound down through it's stagnant monastic meditation into a brittle organization that had divorced itself from living the very life the Force granted all. Failing to see a middle road, it was as much a reaction as a cause for the spawning of the Sith and the Dark Side. If they wanted enlightenment, balance not peace was where to begin. With that thought in mind he shared the Force's presence and power with his companions to help bring victory.

He stood with his squad, staring at the vast trees, with the tremors of the walker's feet felt even at this distance. "An assault from above is an excellent idea," sounded the reverberated voice. "I will stay on the ground and distract them. The walkers won't stand long missing at least one foot to balance on. Let me know which ones you intend to hit and I'll leave those alone."

Samara stood with her squad mates quietly. The sounds of the reports from the defense line and other chatter brought into focus the impending battle. The sith felt anticipation as they would finally be able to strike back at the Empire. It did not matter if this was a delaying or defensive action. She would cross her lightsaber with the Inquisition this day, and they would pay.

"Taking the battle to the Imperials....I like the the idea."

Samara preferred action over the waiting anyway. The distraction and chaos they could cause with a pair of hijacked walkers would certainly help the defense. A wolf like smile formed on the sith's face.

The woman caught the attention of one of the officers manning the bunker.

The officer that responded to Samara tried to hide his annoyance at being pulled away. But then his expression soften a little at the sight of Samara and her companions. Force users such as yourselves held a bit of prestige with the rebel rank and file. Especially those skilled in lightsaber use. Being able to go toe to toe with the Inquisitors in a lightsaber duel and wield the Force has that affect on the common soldier.

The man glanced at one of the monitors for a second before replying back. He was also of the opinion that anything you Force users did to help the defense was fine. Even if it meant taking the fight to the Imperials.

"Sector D1...Looks to be 4 of them about to hit the line. They are backed up by a few squads of troopers too."

D1 was about a 10 minute jog from the bunker you all recall from the briefing. D1 had adequate cover as far as Trees were concerned.

Mara took the news with a curt nod for the officer’s report, “Very well.”

“Carry on,” she added by way of dismissal as she turned to her companions. “We should probably hurry if we are to be prepared.”

When the others were decided, she jogged along with them. Four AT-ST scout walkers were capable of causing a bit of panic and damage. Even if they only succeeded in knocking out two of them without capturing them, it would really boost morale of the troops in Sector D1.

Riet simply nodded to the others. They had their plan, and they knew where they needed to go. Now was the time for implementation. The hurry up and wait had become action.

She stepped out of the bunker, rifle at her back, and took up a light jog. Her armored boots sank deep in the muddy loam, but she had trained for this. The path they took was little more than a gundark trail, more of a barely-visible track, a slight parting of underbrush. If they could get there in time, they would be able to get into position in order to spring their trap.

She turned her sensors up to high, taking in all around her. It would not do to be ambushed by another creature on their way – though she supposed any creatures that knew what was good for them had fled as soon as the Imperial ships made landing nearby.

The predator grin on Samara's face remained as she thanked the officer curtly. The sith followed the others out of the bunker and into the dreary rain. Always the rain chided the dark haired woman mentally. But with on going battle, it was a small inconvenience and something she simple ignored from this point.

"Right, time is of the essence now."

Samara then jogged along the others down the trail to sector D1. She kept her hands free at the moment, but her lightsaber's presence was felt on it's hook at her belt. Ready to leap to her hand at the second's notice of combat. Today, the Imperials would taste the wrath of the sith.

They were here. The Empire in all it's dreadful imbalance had arrived to crush freedom under it's boot in the name of "peace." The Force was balance. War and Peace. Darkness and Light. One cannot exist without the other. Cold iron, tempered in fire becomes hardened steel. They would be the crucible. He the catalyst. May those who follow the Force be reborn as he had been into a greater whole. This was the calm before the storm and he reveled in both.

As the others began to job, he fell in with them. Seeking to match and guide their strides, so they flowed as one towards the Empire and the Republic's rebirth.

The four of you jogged through the rain towards the indicated sector. The sky would flash up with blue light randomly as the base's shields took a hit from the orbital bombardment. Once could perhaps find beauty as the shield dissappated the energy from the strike, if they didn't take in the account that what the blast would have done if the shield wasn't there. So far the shields were holding, and the occasional reply from the giant Ion cannon could be seen.

As you approached the defensive line, you could see the battle in earnest. Hastily constructed turrets and trenches has been erected. While the shield would stop blasts from the orbiting starships, fighters and artillery, it didn't stop ground troops from passing right on through. The line was there to stop such an assault or at least delay it. Coming up the line, you could see that creates and blasts along the line. Rebels and Imperials trading fire among the giant jungle trees. In the sky, dog fights amongst the two forces fighters can be seen. It was truly chaos. But the line was holding for now.

The path you had followed turned into a trench, and soon you were at the sectors CP. A harried LT was there and expecting you. He threw a quick salute as he turned to listened to a runner.

"Scout Walkers coming in due south! 10 minutes before they pass through the shield!" he reported. Standing up the trench's parapet, you can see the 4 walkers approaching through the trees. The sectors fixed turrets were trading fire with walkers, but note having much luck.